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All acts are subject to change and subject to licence.
In the Great Hall
| Zane Lowe | ||
 | The voice of the alternative. The gate-keeper to the underground. The most enthusiastic, well-versed, inclusive and entertaining personality in music broadcasting today. And now not just an MTV legend and Radio One lynchpin, pounding out the world’s most exciting and innovative new sounds between seven and nine every Monday to Thursday, Zane Lowe – aka Zipper - is a successful international live DJ and remix artist in his own right. Once the man 'behind' new music, now he’s edged his way 'inside'. Zane has gained plaudits for his sizzling sets in Ibiza and opening sets for The Prodigy, Deadmaus, Skrillex and Pendulum in recent years. He's also performed at Bestival, Rock Ness and Future Music Festivals across the globe, to rapturous receptions and also sold out his own 20-date Insider university tour. What’s more, Zane has started remixing and producing artists too, making remixes of Kasabian’s ‘Vlad The Imapler’ and Sway’s ‘Still Speeding’. As a DJ, presenter and performer, Zane Lowe is smashing it and he will no doubt have some serious surprises up his sleeve for the rest of 2013. Highlights from Zane Lowe's Electrified Tour | |
| Luminites | ||
 | Luminites are R-tizt (beatboxer), Steph (vocals), JJ (vocals and keys) and Corey (vocals and guitar), a street band who describe their sound as “a blend of acoustic guitar, human beat box, keys and vocal harmony”. Their recent success on ITV's Britain's Got Talent has set them on a course for superstar status, but they've been going as a band for a long time. Their sound and setup is somewhat unique - not many bands have a beatboxer in their midsts! Their stripped back but high energy performance is sure to get everyone going at the Summer Ball. Luminites, 'Locked out of Heaven' | |
| Little Nikki | ||
 | Little Nikki (born Nicole Shortland) is a singer/songwriter from London. She's graced Imperial College Union with her talents before, and now she's back for our Summer Ball! The creation of Little Nikki – she sees the moniker as her pop star alter-ego and a safe haven for her creativity to run wild – started in earnest when she was just six-years-old and wrote her first song. Seven years later she was signed to a major label as part of the girl group SoundGirl, a band she insisted on co-writing songs for until they split in April 2012. While she enjoyed her time as one third of SoundGirl, including support slots with everyone from Pixie Lott to The Wanted to Justin Bieber, there was always a niggling desire to create her own sound - to stand on her own two feet and be in complete control over who she is and who she wants to be. For her, it was the perfect springboard for her to get to where she wanted to be. Little Nikki, 'Where I'm Coming From' | |
| M.O | ||
 | Street-cool girl group M.O first appeared on SBTV back in October, becoming the most viewed debut A64 in the channel's history. Having spent the latter half of 2012 in the studio with Rack N Ruin, Show N Prove, Preditah & Timothy Bloom, M.O released debut single 'Wait Your Turn', becoming MistaJam's single of the week as well as picking up a raft of other radio support. Sass and bass-heavy follow-up 'Ain't Got Time' has already been added to 1Xtra, MTV Hits and MTV Base five weeks ahead of release, while the group have been featured by Dazed & Confused (new band of the week), RWD (13 for 2013), Hunger TV and Rinse FM. With Twitter supporters in Ed Sheeran, Wiley and K Koke, M.O seems to be making friends in all the right places. |
In the Queen's Tower Room
| Kitten and the Hip | ||
 | Two years ago, Ashley Slater met Kitten Quinn. Ashley was an ex pop star and Kitten was a beautiful and intelligent singer songwriter. They wrote songs together, they hung out, and they mischiefed. But mostly, they wrote songs together. In February, they were having a chat, and Kitten advised Ashley not to worry about something or other. ‘Don’t You Worry About That’ was born the next day. A demo was sent to Carl Hanaghan, head of A & R at HedKandi records in London. Less than half an hour later, the phone rang at Kitten HQ, the deal was made, the record was signed and the ball of yarn started rolling. This year (2013) they've had 3 singles out, Shake It Out, Shut Up and Dance and Who's Gonna Pay for That with an album due out in October on Rocstar. Live, they are a trio, with Kitten singing, Ashley singing and playing trombone and keyboards and the wonderful Gillan McLaughlin on drums all on top of pumping backing tracks. Kitten is a natural onstage, at once mesmerising and seductive. It’s a party with class, so don’t forget your ass! | |
| Jon Bongly | ||
 | One of the pioneers of Electro Swing, vintage remix and World Beats in the UK. Regular on the decks at the Electro Swing Club, Jon is a force of positive energy spinning anything from electro swing, including swinghop, swingstep, swing house, swing n bass, broken swing, to other retro remix including ghetto funk, big beat, and glitch. He also likes pulsing techno and wriggling tropical beats ;-) He's a drummer/percussionist too. Jon is simply the best Electro Swing (that is 1920s - 1950s remixed) around. Jon has played at events such as Womad 2012, Glastonbury 2011 (Glade Lounge), Glastonbury, Glade, Secret Garden Party, Sunrise Celebration, Festival No 6, Akbank Caz Festivali, Istanbul, and Pozitif Günler Festival, Istanbul, Rumpus, Cloud Cuckoo Land, Shoreditch Festival, London Green Fair, Ealing Global Day, Small World Winter Warmers and NYE parties, and also at Cafe de Paris, Passing Clouds, inSpiral Lounge, and Global Local at Rich Mix. | |
| Auntie Maureen | ||
 | Auntie Maureen strays far from new-fangled technologies, believes hip hop is a children’s jumping game and is firmly set in her lady ways as a dusty ol’ spinster Of records. Her trusted 1930s wind-up gramophone is her preferred life-long companion. So beware, as she descend with her picnic turntable, dressed to the vintage nines, to entertain at such prestigious affairs as London Fashion Weekend at Somerset House, the Royal College of Music, the Goethe Institut, Camp Bestival and Bestival as well as cosy gatherings for E17 Designers and the E17 Art Trail. | |
| James and The Rabbit Hole | ||
 | A band that has only been together for a short while, yet already achieved so much. Moulding their own version of rock and roll out of solid funk beats and a classic gritty tone, James and The Rabbit Hole have barrelled their way through this competition in a way that only a true rock and roll band can; through roaring guitar driven tunes that have moved crowds across the capital. Their truly original sound, despite their short time together, has been ever so finely crafted, taking influences spanning the decades and paying homage to the true greats of bands and artists of all genres creating an, "accomplished old-school sound, with lyrics akin to country story-telling" (University Music League). James and The Rabbit Hole, 'Bondi' | |
| IC Big Band | ||
 | The band is made up of university students at Imperial College, and has gained an excellent reputation that is growing year on year. Featuring at this year's London Jazz Festival, the band has competed in a number of national competitions, most recently winning the gold award at the finals of the National Concert Band Festival for the second time. | |